Detroit Restaurants: Reviews & Recommendations

[ChocoKitty]

Is anyone here from the Metro Detroit area? I'm curious to see what people think about how food trends from the coast filter into the Midwest, and into Michigan specifically. Any thoughts/observations?

Also, with respect to Detroit in particular, I'm intrigued how there are a number of high-end restaurants (e.g., Cuisine, Rattlesnake Club) plopped into a city that is essentially a war zone. I've heard more than one media commentator call the city "Beirut". The contrast just strikes me as a bit strange, even surreal. I drove by Duet a few weeks ago, and it's this shining little beacon among boarded-up buildings.

I suppose it's no less strange than seeing the much-praised Tribute nestled between a gas station and a Quality Inn right off the interstate in a bedroom suburb. I drove by it for years before even noticing it was there!

Also, are there any other urban areas where this strange dichotomy of great food/bad location appears? I'm sure there are plenty, but I'm curious to see some more examples. But then, maybe Detroit IS as awful as its image!

[Steve Klc]

Choco--have you ever eaten at Tribute?  Is it deservedly "much-praised" and would it stand up alongside restaurants with comparable aims in elite food cities?

[Rosie]

I've eaten at The Lark and The Whitney. Both very good. And of course I never go to MI without eating at Zingerman's!  Go Blue

[ChocoKitty]

I must admit (with some embarassment) that I don't frequent fine dining establishments much, so I haven't been to Tribute (although I do want to go) or The Lark (which is 2 miles from my home!) or many of the other famous places around here. If/when I do, I'll definitely post a report.

Zingerman's!! I went to U-M, and Zingerman's was my "happy place". I could spend hours there! The great thing is that Zingerman's bread is now being sold in stores located in metro Detroit proper.

If you're ever in the area, go to Holiday Market in Royal Oak. Their motto is "If we don't have it, you don't need it, but if you need it, we can get it." They have the finest meat selection I've seen anywhere, and they have an outstanding bakery (complete with bread from Zingerman's as well as their own creations). It also seems to be the only place within a 20 mile radius of my home that sells prosciutto (!).

Within the next month or two I may be moving to a new home right across the street from Holiday Market. How's that for nuts?

[Michael Laiskonis]

 Surprised to see one, I hereby make my eGullet debut on a Detroit thread...

 ChocoKitty is right, Holiday Market is great. Living in Royal Oak and shopping there weekly, I find a sense of community that rarely exists anymore, anywhere.

 I am in the restaurant business in the Detroit area, and well, I don't have many good things to say about the state of dining here. As to the proliferation of food trends, I think most chefs here are completely oblivious. Harsh, I know, but most of what people consider fine dining in Detroit wouldn't be taken seriously anywhere else.

 Luckily my job enables me to travel around the country at least once a month to either cook or simply to eat, and it becomes painfully obvious how far gone the city is. I say that not with malice, but with sadness. I think there are some of us that have a bit of a global culinary viewpoint, but not enough of us to have any national relevance.

 Yes, Zingerman's can be a great resource. Few probably know of Jan Longone, also in Ann Arbor, who is one of the country's foremost food historians and cookbook archivists. The metro area is also rich with ethnic markets and restaurants, but they are all too often hard to find if you're not in the know.

 I'd love to hear any feedback either from locals or out-of-towners who have visited recently. What image does the city reflect to those who don't live here?

[ChocoKitty]

 I am in the restaurant business in the Detroit area, and well, I don't have many good things to say about the state of dining here. As to the proliferation of food trends, I think most chefs here are completely oblivious. Harsh, I know, but most of what people consider fine dining in Detroit wouldn't be taken seriously anywhere else.

 Luckily my job enables me to travel around the country at least once a month to either cook or simply to eat, and it becomes painfully obvious how far gone the city is. I say that not with malice, but with sadness. I think there are some of us that have a bit of a global culinary viewpoint, but not enough of us to have any national relevance.

 Yes, Zingerman's can be a great resource. Few probably know of Jan Longone, also in Ann Arbor, who is one of the country's foremost food historians and cookbook archivists. The metro area is also rich with ethnic markets and restaurants, but they are all too often hard to find if you're not in the know.

I have to agree with you on your assessment of the Detroit restaurant scene (that's probably another reason why I don't eat out much). For good food, I find myself driving across the river to Windsor! Do you think the state of dining in the Detroit area will improve say, in the next 10 years? And why do you think that this area is behind the times when it comes to food trends? Is it chef-driven, customer driven, food media (such as it is) driven? And is NOT following trends such a bad thing? (sorry, I think too much!). What would you like to see more/less of?

Thanks for the reminder about Jan Longone. She had sent me her catalog, and I was just floored at the depth and breadth of her collection. She admits she's a bit short on stuff from the mid-20th century on, but I hope that that changes soon as well.

Glad to see you on the boards!

[Rosie]

Isn't there a bookstore in A2 that specializes in cookbooks?

[Steve Klc]

Choco and mlpc--what role do you feel your local newspaper food media plays in not educating the public or raising awareness in your city? Is the media somewhat complicit and complacent as certain chefs and the dining public at large?

Rosie--I believe that's what mlpc and chocokitty are referring to.

[Michael Laiskonis]

Sorry, I've been away...

Regarding local food media... I think Rick Bohy of Hour Magazine (slick local monthly for 20-30 somethings) does the best job. Good coverage of consumer-related issues (cookbook reviews, wine reviews, features on ingredients and equipment) and a fairly decent supporter of local restaurants. I don't always agree with his tastes, but his reviews are in-depth and well written. (I miss Joe Vaughn's food photographs- probably one of the best food photographers in town. He's now doing his own thing. He shot Keith Famie's book, but don't even get me started with him...!). Some food scene "gossip" each issue. No real reporting outside of Detroit-Windsor. I do wish they would revisit more often listings in the Restaurant Guide. Some read very outdated.

As for the daily newspapers... not much difference between the coverage in the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News. They both pay a good deal of attention when prominent out-of-town chefs make a local appearance (only one restaurant consistantly hosts such chefs). Once in a great while, an interesting article will pop up that explores issues or people that are influencing the food community- recent examples: depletion of over-fished species ('Chilean Sea Bass', swordfish, etc.) and a visit to Chef's Garden in Ohio. The Chef's Garden piece, however, was disappointing in that, to my recollection, no mention was made of any Detroit restaurants who use their produce! I know there are at least a few of us! And to mention them in the same breath as Charlie Trotter or Alain Ducasse, also customers, would have been a nice boost to those locally who also insisit on high quality! Articles from wire services make up a sizable chunk of the food section every week- so again, no real local coverage. For the most part, there is a strong emphasis on healthy eating and seasonal cooking (grilling in the summer, what to do with those apples in the fall, etc...). I'm critical of the Free Press in particular for their restaurant review policies. Stars are awarded based on how a restaurant performs in relation to it's intent. Under those standards, a 'joint' dishing up coney dogs can earn four stars, and a contemporary fine dining restaurant can rate the same. I see that as potentially confusing to some readers. Ray and Eleanor Heald have great palates and connections; they write locally in a small suburban paper (tiny circulation), but also contribute with regularity to national food and wine (mostly wine)magazines. I don't know, I hate to be too critical of the local media (I've benefited from their coverage and some I consider friends); I guess they only have so much to work with. But as to their capacity to raise awareness or educate... all I can say is that I pay more attention to the New York Times on Wednesday mornings...

Rosie, if you are thinking of The Wine and Food Library, that is in fact Jan Longone. She runs the operation from her home, so she prefers to work through catalogs, but I know appointments can be made to view her collection.

ChocoKitty, will the state of dining improve in the next 10 years? For the last 30 years, haven't people been asking that same question about the economic, social, and cultural situation of the city? Only when problems in those broader areas are solved will we see it expressed in things like dining. A core downtown would foster a food scene, but new stadiums and casinos will never really accomplish that. It would take a rebirth on a neighborhood level to get people to move back in. Again, how long have we as a city been trying to figure that one out?

I just don't see evidence that many local chefs are looking outward or challenging themselves the way chefs do even in Chicago, just a couple hundred miles away. I don't want to be so negative- some people are doing good food or at least their hearts are in the right place. Stuart Brioza up north at Tapawingo is surely a rising star, as is Tim Voss at Forté in Birmingham. Takashi Yagihashi at Tribute and Rick Halberg of Emily's, while stylistically quite different, are of the few producing refined cuisine with a clear vision and awareness. Eric Villegas of Restaurant Villegas in Okemos, near Lansing, is one of the most passionate chefs I know, and he may just be more of a food geek than I!

Jimmy Schmidt of the Rattlesnake Club, or the Lark, I feel, are simply resting on laurels they might have received ten years ago. The Whitney, the Golden Mushroom, should't even be on the radar. Some others may have good ideas, but fail in execution. I won't even approach the state of pastry in this city...

What would I like to see more of? A place where I can eat on my night off!!

[Steve Klc]

First off, mlpc, you have a keen eye and you've already added considerable depth to the site. For finding the time, thank you. Do you know if the Chef's Garden piece is online? Would you be willing to post whatever links you have to those newspapers general food sections? Is Hour magazine online?

That Chef's Garden piece--if it turns out not to mention the small handful of local restaurants who use their product and not run at least a few quotes from local chefs--would seem a callous and stunning indictment of what you and the Detroit area are up against. In most cases like this--of seeming purposeful avoidance--my first thought is that a newspaper food section editor doesn't want to upset local advertisers or paint them in a poor light. Do any powerful local purveyors or markets advertise in the food section--or restaurants which have a reputation but not the raw goods to stack up to those sourcing the highest quality ingredients?

The restaurant review policies of the Free Pree seem damning to me as well. I'm unaware of any other city employing such culinary relativism--perhaps other members around the country are aware?

[Michael Laiskonis]

Chef's Secret Garden

A quick scan of the article confirms my memory...

Food

Food

Links to the major daily newspaper food sections. I don't think Hour has much of an online presence, but I will investigate...

I do think food writers are sensitive to accusations of impropriety... whether dining in a professional capacity or merely for pleasure. Also, the market here is small, and through, as you say, purposeful avoidance, I get the feeling that editors are perhaps wary of plugging any particular chef or restaurant too much. As for advertising, I dont see that influencing content- mostly local grocery stores and their weekly specials...

Three years ago the Free Press began a Restaurant of the Year Award; Tribute recieved the initial nod, The Hill (never knew of its existence until that ran- safe continental cuisine...I remember a photo of a dish garnished with the old potato-cut -to -look-like-a-little- mushroom... what decade are we in?!) was named the second time. This year, Cuisine (interesting ideas poor execution), which had been open only six months or so, received the honor. You now see the slim pickings we're dealing with!

I have never questioned Sylvia Rector (chief Free Press food writer) either about content or review policies.. one hates to bite a hand that, if only occasionally, feeds. At the end of the day I think Rector and Kate Lawson at the Detroit News have good intentions, but have limited space and limited fodder to work with.

Well, this is getting kind of heavy, and ChocoKitty, it appears as if it's just you and me (no offense Steve!)... where do you like to eat, north or south of the River? I admit I haven't been to Windsor in years. Have you been to this new restaurant Noa? Looks promising. Is it the expense only that keeps you out of fine dining places?

[ChocoKitty]

mlpc, first let me say "thank you" for providing so much information from your vantage point! I have to agree with you on Ric Bohy -- I think he consistently provides detailed, insightful reviews (I'm sure it helps that he's the editor of the magazine and can therefore devote more space than most to covering food).

Here are links to the food sections of the two major papers. Steve, I'd be interested to see what your opinion of these are and where they could improve. I may pitch an idea or two to them in the near future:

Detroit News

Detroit Free Press

I really can't add to mlpc's excellent comments. When I read the Free Press's section on the 10 best restaurants in the Detroit area, I was shaking my head. Aside from Tribute, all of the other restaurants sounded the same. Even the pictures looked the same -- how many fanned-out racks of lamb can I look at, anyway?

As far as food writing outside of restaurant reviews (after reading what the Detroit-area has to offer, you'd think that food writing = restaurant reviews), the major papers rely on what comes over the wires, as mlpc has pointed out, and the alternative weeklies (there are two) don't even bother with it.

mlpc, what would YOU (and others in your industry) like to see more of?

[coolranch]

Interesting thread...

I'm not from Detroit, but I will be in Ann Arbor for a few days in the fall and would love any local foodies' advice on restaurants in AA and Detroit.

Following are some restaurants that have been recommended to us (besides Tribute, Rattlesnake Club and the Whitney):

Opus One

Duet

Beverly Hills Grill

Yotsuba for sushi

Chophouse

Gratzi

Real Seafood Company

[ChocoKitty]

*snore* -- looks like you've been recommended "the usual suspects". Beverly Hills Grill is way overrated, I think. Rattlesnake Club and the Whitney are in Detroit proper, about an hour from A2. Tribute is closer to A2, in Farmington Hills. I can give you directions if you need them. For sushi, there have been sushi places popping up all over the area like mushrooms. Noble Fish in Clawson is good and cheap, but you'll have to carry out. The local Japanese community tends to congregate at Musashi in Southfield and Sharaku in West Bloomfield.

Make sure you know whether you want to visit A2, Detroit, or the suburbs -- everything is really spread out, so you probably will not be able to cover that big of a geographic region. Do you have your itinerary already?

Are you visiting A2 for any special reason? (game, checking out the U-M, etc.?) If you're going to be in Ann Arbor, there are a few other places you should check out:

Zydeco (decent Cajun food -- make sure you order the bread pudding for dessert)

Ali Baba's (a cheap Middle Eastern restaurant near the law school)

Zingerman's (a legend. Go there to browse and drool. The sandwiches are a bit too pricey, IMHO, but definitely buy some bread and sample the cheeses)

Blue Nile (Ethiopian)

BTW, mlpc, sorry I didn't answer all your questions! I tend to be on the stingy side, and after one too many times of being disappointed by an expensive meal, I decided to focus more on my home cooking instead.

Gotta run. Happy eating!

[Allen]

I've heard more than one media commentator call the city "Beirut".

ChocoKitty,

The comparison of Detroit to Beirut is an insult to Beirut! I've been to Beirut. I've dined in Beirut. Detroit is no Beirut.

[Michael Laiskonis]

coolranch,

These days the western Detroit suburbs have pretty much extended themselves as far west as Ann Arbor, but yes, distance can be an issue... have your recommendations included Emily's, in Northville (roughly halfway between AA and Detroit)? Chef/owner Rick Halberg does what he would dub 'contemporary French-inspired Meditteranean' food- think Provence and Piedmont- in a cozy, but updated, Victorian home. I haven't been there in a while, but Rick is pretty consistent...

Have not been to either recently, so I hesitate to mention, but in the area...

Common Grill, in Chelsea, southwest of AA... Craig Common, chef/owner is a nice guy, has a cookbook, has done a dinner at the Beard House... but I wouldn't expect anything too fancy.

Five Lakes Grill, in Milford, north and a little east of AA... Chef/owner Brian Polcyn may be best known for his pursuit of the Certified Master Chef title, one of three stories in Michael Ruhlman's "Soul of a Chef" (Michael Symon of Cleveland and Thomas Keller are subjects of the other two). Brian is a super guy and one of the most respected chefs in the area (forgot to mention him earlier), but now that he is teaching, his chef de cuisine Chris Brown is running the kitchen. I think Chris has the potential to elevate the foundation that Brian has already put in place (Chris spent a few years at Tribute). Oh yeah, the food... an emphasis on Michigan products when possible, with a sprinkling of global influences. An esoteric and aggresive wine program was in place, but with the departure of sommelier Ron Edwards for Tapawingo (way up north), I'm not sure where the list stands at the moment.

I must second the mention of Sharaku... fairly traditional, a little expensive, but very good!

ChocoKitty,

What would I like to see...

I would simply like to see just a few more serious upscale restaurants offering challenging cuisine (savory and pastry, coherent tasting menus) a) for a little friendly competition, b) to attract more outside talent or at least keep the already up-and-coming here, and c) I want a nice place to eat! But on the other end, I'd like to see a lot more casual, moderate-priced places. Examples that come to mind...Spring and Blackbird in Chicago, No. 9 Park in Boston, are just the first that pop up. Can you believe we don't have any decent simple French bistro-type places in the city? I think a Balthazar-Pastis-Buchon style restaurant would be perfect in Royal Oak or Birmingham! I think it is in this area that Detroit suffers the most, and what does exist is owned by Matt Prentice.... And as we've already discussed, a more attentive local food media wouldn't hurt. Curious what ideas you are thinking of pitching to the papers!

While decent bread is finally in abundance (Zingerman's, Avalon, to some extent Cantoro), another black hole is that of retail pastry. I'm thinking and thinking, but no one really merits any mention. What I would really love to find is some good French breakfast pastry- croissant/ pain au chocolat/ etc. and real baguettes! The only traditional French pastry shop I know is OK, not great- but the French owners of the humble little place are super cool and I'll give them my support no matter what... Restaurant pastry is chugging along, but, in my opinion, not keeping up with the pace of the industry at large. Exception- Tanya Fallon, PC at Forté is good.

So while it is difficult to say what I want, it is harder to come up with a solution. As I stated earlier, major changes, mostly economic, have to come before we see changes in the way we eat out.

It is most frustrating for highly motivated/goal-minded cooks (OK, me!) who feel that they will eventually out-grow the market and be forced to move elsewhere to achieve those goals...

[coolranch]

Whew! Great stuff. Happy to get locals' opinions--now I won't have to depend on business travellers w/expense accounts, people who lived in the area 10 years ago, or G-d forbid, citysearch.com.

Choco--I will be in AA for a wedding (both bride & groom are UM grads), then spending a day or two in Detroit with some friends (in Ferndale)--about 4 days total. Unfortunately, I won't be there during a game weekend, and we're staying at the Campus Inn.

mlpc--I may have to make the trek to Five Lakes. I read Soul of a Chef last year--loved it.

Will probably have limited transportation, but willing to cab it for a good meal.

Zingerman's sounds like my kinda place. Our days will be free, so we look forward to tooling around a bit.

Thanks everyone!

[ChocoKitty]

Ok, that helps! There's a Blue Nile in Ferndale. There's also a relatively new restaurant called Assaggi Mediterranean Bistro there. I haven't been there, but I've heard good things about the place. Also, some less adventurous eaters I know pronounced the food at Assaggi "a little weird", so it will probably be a good place for folks like us! ;)

I'm so glad mlpc brought up Five Lakes. I wasn't sure if you would be heading out in that direction because the place is literally not near *anything*! Yes, you have to aim for the place, but the food is worth it.

For A2 restaurant reviews, check out http://www.arborfood.com. Also, http://www.metrotimes.com (our alternative weekly) has a good database with restaurant reviews, although I don't always agree with the opinions there (ah, who does?)

Good luck, and let us know where you end up eating!

[Michael Laiskonis]

Assaggi Mediterranean Bistro in Ferndale has received some good reviews, but there has been a rapid rate of chef turnover in recent months... might want to wait and let things smooth out. People on the inside have hinted at some ugly owner-chef 'disagreements'....

Ferndale, about as central as you can get ... 5-6 miles up the main drag (Woodward Ave.) from Ferndale lies Birmingham, one of the more exclusive Detroit suburbs. Forté, mentioned in earlier posts, is in Birmingham. Solid food from a young chef transplanted from Chicagoand former Tribute sous chef. Pastry chef (chef's wife, also from Chi., also ex-Tribute)is also very good. Michael Korn (formerly of Emily's- see my last post) runs the front- lots of fun bottles lurking amid the ever-growing wine list. Forté chef Tim Voss was on the opening team of David Burke's Park Avenue Café in Chicago- definately an experience that continues to influence his cooking even now...

[tammylc]

Where would you go for top-of-the line, avant garde food in Detroit and area?

Now, besides Tribute, where would you go?

My third ever fine-dining experience was at Trio, and now I've been spoiled forever.

Thanks!

[MatthewB]

Most interesting food in Detroit? Coney Island Dogs!!!

A bit more seriously . . .

Five Lakes Grill in Milford. For more info, see Corby Kummer's article in the January 2002 issue of the Atlantic.

Or, as we say in Michigan, "take a trip up north" to Tapawingo.

[Aurora]

Where would you go for top-of-the line, avant garde food in Detroit and area?

Now, besides Tribute, where would you go?

My third ever fine-dining experience was at Trio, and now I've been spoiled forever.

Thanks!

I'm curious to know where your first two fine-dining experiences were -- in Michigan?

[Holly Moore]

I'm curious to know where your first two fine-dining experiences were -- in Michigan?

I'm thinking Cornish Pasties and Cherry Cider.

Edited April 29, 2003 by Holly Moore (log)

[tammylc]

My upscale(ish) dining experiences, in chronological order:

1. Le Papillon (San Jose)

2. Ritz-Carlton Dining Room (Chicago)

3. Trio (Chicago)

4. Tribute (Detroit)

6. mk (Chicago)

7. Cafe Bon Homme (Detroit)

8. Loving Spoonful (Detroit)

9. Aquavit (Minneapolis)

10. Vincent (Minneapolis)

(Reports found here, if anyone's interested.)

I've got a long list of Chicago restaurants I'd like to eat at (or eat at again, in the case of Trio), but I don't get to Chicago that often (so I have to live vicariously through all of you...). But I have a foodie friend who visits me in Ann Arbor every once in a while, which gives me a good excuse to try someplace new, thus the query.

Thanks!

[MsRamsey]

My upscale(ish) dining experiences, in chronological order:

1. Le Papillon (San Jose)

Will you be doing a report on Le Papillon? I'm going to that part of the world in a couple of weeks.